Cluster-lamp-holding device.



R. B. BENJAMIN.

CLUSTER LAMP HOLDING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 5, 1907.

11.3. BENJAMIN.

GLUSTBR LAMP HOLDING DEVICE. APPLIoATIoH FILED AUG. s. 1907.

970,678. Patentod Sept.20,19'10.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ru: Namels Parras co.,wAsmuc1on c R. B. BENJAMIN.

oLUsTBR LAMP Homme Dnvw. y y l APPLICATION IILED L'UG. 5, 1907.

970,678. Patented Sept 20,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IIIIHIHIIIIIIIIIIMMXw @hais/e5: 45 of/Zef/ar:

R. B. BENJAMIN.

OLUSTERLAMP HOLDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

j UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Application filed August 5, 1907. Serial No. 387,090.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJA- MIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ot' Illinois, have invented new and useful 'Improvements in Cluster-Lamp-Holding Devices, of 'which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cluster lamp-holding devices, one of the objects of the invention being the provision of a device of this class in which the body portion of the device and the lamps carried thereby may be readily removed for access to the binding-screws of the device without disturbing the electrical connections.

Another' object of my invention is to provide a cluster lamp-holding device in which means are provided whereby the same may be readily changed from one havino' a centrally-disposed lamp to one provided with a pendent switch.

A still further object is to provide a device which is adapted for the ready application or removal of a shade.

These and such other Objects as may hereinafter appear are attained in the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of the device arranged for the recep.- tion of a centrally-disposed lamp, the sec tion being taken on the line 1 1 of Figs. 2 and 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the same with a portion of the under side of the outer casing removed to expose to view the means whereby the outer contacts ot' the various lamp-receivers are mechanically and electrically connected and supported; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the insulating base portion of the device; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a conducting ring employed in this device; Fig. 5 is a central sectional View' of the insulating base, the section being taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the insulating base as it appears when the parts are arranged for the connection therewith of conductors leading to a pendent switch; Fig. 7 is a central vertical sectional view of the base thus arranged, the section being taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the device provided with a casing formed with i an opening 'for the passage therethrough of conductors leading to a pendent switch, instead of having a central .lamji-holding device, the section in this gure bemg taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and Fig.v9 is a perspective View of a ring which occupies the upper portion of the casing of the device and engages with the supporting cap when the body oi' the device is in position, whereby the body is detachably secured to and supported by said cap.

In the several gures of the drawings, .10 is a supporting cap which is provided with a central interiorly-threaded neck 11 adapted for the reception of the end of a threaded pipe 12 or similar conduit. This cap is also provided with openings 13 for the reception of screws by means of which the cap may be secured directly to a ceiling or wall instead of being sustained upon the end of a pipe. 4

The upper portion of the outer casing 14 is provided with an annular plate 16 having a series of projections 17 adapted to t into corresponding depressions 18 in the sides of the cap 10. These projections 17 and depressions 18 constitute a form of bayonet joint by means of which the body portion of the device is detachablysecured to the supporting cap 10, this connection being adapted to be broken by a partial rotation imparted to the body of the device. To retain the projections 17 in the depressions 18 and prevent backward rotation of the body of the device and consequent detachment of the same from the cap, a leaf spring 19 is secured to the ring 16 adjacent each of the projections 17 and, when the parts are put together, bears upon the upper edge of the depression 18. j

Disposed within the casing 14: is an insulating base 20, which, when the body of the device isin place, slips into the lower', open side of the cap 10. Arranged Within the cap is a disk 20, of liber or the like, which forms a partition between the cham ber within the cap 10 and the chamber formed by the depression in the upper side of the base 20. This disk 20a is held in place in the cap by inturned portions 10u formed by insulating rings 22a. Surrounding the= base is a conducting ring 23 with which engages the center terminal of each of the lamps inserted into kthe socket shells V22.

This plate 23 is formed with an upt-urned edge for engagement with the lamps and is perforated for the passage therethrough of a pair of screws 24 and 25. The screw 24 extends through a suitable opening in the base 2O and is provided on its upperend with a nut 26. The screw 25 extends through the base intoA a plate 27, which plate is provided with a binding-screw 28.

Upon the yunder side of the base 20 is garl ranged an annular plate 29 to which is electrically connected each of the socket-shells 22, by means of a` tongue 30 with which each of the sockets is provided and a screw 30a. The screwing of the lamps into the threaded shells 22 would of course tend to force the shells outward after the center contact of the lamp has come into engagement with the plate 23, and would thus bring an undesirable strain upon the tongues 30 which elecf trically connect these shells with the plate 29. To resist this tendency of the threaded shells to be drawn out through the sleeve 21, I expand the inner portion of each threaded sleeve at a point 22b ust within the casingoil the device. The bead thus formed lits into a similar bead 22c in the insulating ring 22a. The lining ring 22a, as well as the threaded sleeve 22, isn thus securely held in position. The plate 29 has a pair of inwardly projecting lugs 31, each of which is perforated for the passage of a screw therethrough, and is secured to the base by a pair of screws 32 and 33.v The screw 32 extends downwardly through a suitable opening in the base and .screws into the plate 29, while the screw 33 is additionally provided with Va conducting plate 34 through which the screw 33 extends, whereby electrical connection is made between the binding-screw 35, carried by lthe plate 34, and the ring 29. The electrical circuit through the circularly-disposed lamps is madefby connecting one leading-in wire with the binding screw 28 and another leading-in wire with the binding screw 35.

The base .20 is formed with a central aperture 36, this aperture bein enlarged at its upper or inner end at `37. Disposed within the enlarged portion 37 of this opening is a plate 38 which spans the aperture, the ends of this plate 38 resting upon the shoulders .39 on the base 20. The plate 38 is provided centrally-disposed socket 44, which is arranged within a projecting neck 45 forming a part of the casing 14 and similar to the necks 21. This socket 44 is electrically connected with the ring 29 by means of a tongue 46 with which the socket 44 is provided, and a screw 46a.

It will be seen that by the use of three leading-in wires thecentrally-disposed lamp may be connected in a circuit independent of the circuit which includes the lamps arranged in the circle. The outer contacts of all of the sockets are electrically connected with the plate 29 and through this plate and the screw 33 with the bindingscrew The center contact of the center socket is connectedwith the binding-screw 40, while the center contacts of the circularly-.disposed sockets are connected with the binding-screw 28.

hen it is desired to dispense with the center lamp Iand substitute therefor a cord leading to a pendent switch by means of which the lamps may be turned off or on as desired, a slightly different form of outerV casing will be employed. In this case the outer casing will, instead of having a centrally-disposed lamp-receiver, be provided with a circula-r centrally-disposed opening. An insulating ring 47 will be arranged within the casing between the under side of the base 20 and the casing 14 as shown in Fig. 8. This ring 47 is reduced in diameter at 48, the portion of reduced diameter extending through the opening in the bottom of the casing 14, whereby the ring 47 is retained in proper position relatively to said opening and the opening 49 through the ring 47 is caused to register with the opening 36 in the base 20. The plate 38, which, when the device is provided with a casing adapted for the rece tion of a centrally-disposed lamp, spans tllioe opening 36, will now be moved from this position and placed in a `depression 50 with which the upper side of the base 2O is provided. In place of the screw 4l, a short screw 51 willbe employed to secure the plate 38 in its new position, and a second binding-screw 52 will be inserted in the plate. This plate 38 will now serve as a connecting plate to eliminate the necessity of splicing the ends of wires together. The cord which leads to the pendent switch will be brought in through the opening 49 in the ring 47 and will extend through the passage 36 and will have one of its ends secured to the'binding-screw 28.

The end of the other conductor will be sefied form of casing and a changing of the 1 in the capacity of the device.

ing-screw 40, thence through one of the which required to be removed from its pocured to the binding-screw 40. One of the l leading-in wires will be connected to the binding-screw 52 with which the plate 38 is now provided. The other leading-in wire will be connected with the binding-screw 35 as in the other form of the device.` The circuit will now be as l'ollows: through one leading-in Wire to the binding-screw 52, thence through the plate 3S to the bindcord conductors to the switch, thence returnino' through the other cord conductor to the tbinding-screw 28, thence through the plate 27 and screw 25 to the center terminals of the lamps, thence through the lamps to the sockets 22, through the tongues 30 of the sockets to the plate 29, thence through the screw 33 to the plate 34, tlicnce to the binding-screw 35 and to the other leading-in wire.

It will be seen that by the use of my invention there is provided a device which may be readily chan ed from one carrying a centrally-disposed amp to one in which this lamp is dispensed with and in lieu thereof a drop switch is substituted for controlling the lamps. This result is accomplished by the simple substitution of a modiplate 38 from one position to the other and the provision of an extra binding-screw 52, so that it is unnecessary to make up and carry in stock a great number of diiferent parts in order to be able to till orders for different types of devices. It will also be seen that the substitution of a body portion carrying a greater or lesser number of lamps may be readily accomplished, the same base, contacts and other parts with the exception of the outer casing being available for use with any number of lamps with- In Fig. 1 I have shown a method of securing in place a shade 53. The supporting cap l0 is of sufficiently small diameter to permit the shade 53 to bev removed or applied over this cap 10 without the necessity ot' removing the cap from its position. By disconnecting thebody portion of the device from the cap 10 and lowering the same the shade 53 may be readily removed. The ordinary commercial shades are provided with openings of suiiicient diameter to permit them to be readily passed up or down over the cap 10. Heretofore, in devices of this class, the insulating base has usually been of large diameter and the means for supporting this base has consisted of a back-plate sition to permit the shade to be disconnected. By the provision of a cap l0 in place of the usual back-plate I am enabled to supply a device having means for supporting the shade which permits the ready removal of the same. To retain the shade 53 in place I preferably supply a shade-holder of some form, ,though the shade may, if desired, rest upon and be supported by the upper edge oi' the casing 14;. A convenient form of shade-holder consists of the usual circular plate 54 which is secured to the pipe 12 by a screw 55 and is formed with a downturned edge through which extends a series of screws 56. These screws, when turned in, engage under an outturned flange 57 with which the shade 53 is provided for this purpose.

Heretofore in cluster lamp sockets when it has been desired to provide a pendent switch for controlling the lamps it has been customary, with some forms of devices, to carry the conductors of the cord around the insulating base between two of the lamps to the upper side of the base. One of these conductors would then be secured to a binding-screw and the other would bespliced to one of the leading-in wires which wire would not be connected with a bindingscrew. This has not been a convenient or desirable method of connecting the switch in circuit, but has been resorted to because of the limitations resulting from the construction of the device. In another form of cluster lamp socket, in which the leading-in wires are brought through the base and are secured to binding-screws located upon the under side of the base, it has been common, when a cord switch was to be connected in circuit, to secure one of the conductors of the cord to one of the binding screws, the other of the conductors being spliced to one of the leading-in wires. In both of these cases it was necessary to provide some means, such as a knot tied in the cord, for preventing the cord from pulling out ci' the onening in the casing of the device. This mot or the like placed an undesirable strain upon the casing. By the use of my present invention, which contemplates an opening through the base for 'the passage o'l the cord to the upper' side of the base, it is made possible to connect the conductors oit the cord with binding-screws located upon the upper side of the base, and by enlarging this opening in 'the base interiorly, means are pro- 1'15 vided whereby the knot which is tied in the cord, or any other means for enlarging the diameter of the cord, such for instance as wrapping the same with tape, will rest in the enlarged part oi' this opening, so 'that the 120 strain resulting from a downward pull imparted to the cord is received by the base rather than by the thin metallic outer shell or casing of the device. In all devices of this class, so far as I am aware, where the 125 insulating base has been carried by the outer casing, the insertion of a lamp into one of the sockets has tended to force the base over toward the opposite side of the casing. For this reason 'the lamps first inserted into the 130 device were apt to be screwed in farther than those inserted later. My invention contemplates means for centering this base and preventing the movement of 'the same out of axial alinemcnt With the casing. The upper portion of the base, it Will be observed, rests Within tlielower portion of the cap 10 and 1s held against lateral movement by the edges of this cap. f

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a supporting cap, a casing removably secured thereto, an insulating base supported in said casing and held in axial alinement by said cap, lamp-l1olding devices carried by said casing, contacts for said lamp-'holding devices and bindingscrews carried by said base.

2. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a supporting cap, a casing, means for detachably securing said casing to said cap, an insulating member Within said casing, a plurality of lamp-holding devices carried by said casing and supporting said insulating member, contacts for said lamp-holding devices carried by said insulating member, and means for maintaining said insulating member With its axis in line with the axis of said cap.

3. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a supporting cap, a casing, detachable connection between said casing and said cap, an insulating base supported Within said casing and having portions resting Within said cap and engaged thereby,

lamp-holding devices carried by said casing,y

and contacts for said lamp-holding devices carried by said base.

il. In a cluster lamp-holdingdevice, `the combination of a supporting member, a casing detachably secured thereto, lamp-holding devices carried by said casing, contacts for said lamp-holding devices, an insulating member Within said casing and positioned by said lamp-holding devices out of contact With said casing, binding-screws carried by said insulating' member and electrically connected with said contacts, and means for preventing lateral movement of said insulating member With respect to said supporting member.v

5. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a supporting member, a casing supported thereby, a plurality of lampholding devices carried by said casing, a base supported. Within said casingand contacts carried by said base for engagement With lamps in said lamp-holding devices, said base and supporting member being arranged to engage each other whereby said base is prevented from moving sideWise Within said casing.

6. Ina cluster lampholding device, the combination of a supporting member, a casing carried thereby, an insulating base Within said casing, lamp-holding devices carried by said casing' and positioning said base, contacts for said lamp-holding devices, binding-screws connected with said contacts and located upoi/rthe side of said base adjacent said supporting member, said base having a passage extending therethrough for the passage of leading out conductors from said binding screws. Y 1

7. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a casing, a block of insulating material located centrally Within said casing, lamp holding devices arranged around said block, contacts for said lampholding devices carried by said block, a movable plate having binding terminals adapted for the attachment thereto of leadingfout conductors, said plate being located upon the upper side of said block, said block having a centrally disposed aperture for the' passage of said leading-out conductors, and a bushed opening in said casing registering with said aperture. l

8. In a cluster lampsholding device, the combination of a casing, an insulating block arranged therein, lamp-engaging contacts carried by said block, and binding-screws carried by said block upon the upper side thereof and connected With said contacts, said block being centrally apertured for the passage therethrough of leading-out conductors and having the aperture enlarged at its upper end.

9. In a cluster lamp-holdingdevice, the combination ofa casing, an insulating member arranged therein andI provided With means thereon for the attachment of leading-in conductors, lamp-engaging contacts electrically connected with said last-named means, and a movable plate having binding terminals for ythe attachment of leading-out conductors, said base and casing being centrally apertured for the passage of said leading-out conductors. A

10. yIn a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a casing, a plurality of lampholding devices carried by said casing, an insulating member Within said casing, binding-screWs carried by said insulating member upon the upper side thereof, and lampterminal-engaging means electrically connected Wit-h said binding-screws, said insulating member having an axially-disposed aperture, said aperture being interiorly enlarged to prevent the Withdrawal of the leaf ing-in conductors from said aperture.

l1. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the

Vcombination of a casing, a plurality of lampholding devices carried thereby, contacts for said lamp-holding devices, a centrally-apertured base, binding-screws carried thereby, a movable plate arranged to bridge the aperture in said base When desired and a binding-screw carried by said plate, said base being formed to receive said plate at a positionV remote from said aperture when desired.

12. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a casing, an insulating base arranged therein, lamp-engaging contacts carried by said base, said base and casing being centrally apertured, and a bushing arranged between said base and said casing and having a portion of reduced diameter adapted to occupy the aperture of the casing whereby said bushing is held against lateral movement, said bushing engaging said base to hold the same against longitudinal movement.

13. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a centrally-apertured casing, a base arranged therein and also centrally apertured, contacts carried by said base, and a bushing confined between said base and said casing and having a portion of reduced diameter extending through the aperture in said casing.

14. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a casing, a plurality of lampholding devices arranged 1n a circle, a base Within said casing, lamp-engaging contacts carried by said base, said base being eentrally apertured and said casing having an aperture alining with the aperture of the base, and an insulating bushing arranged between said base and said casing and extending from one of said parts to the other and providing a continuous insulated passage through said base, said bushing and said casing.

l5. In a cluster lamp-holding device, the combination of a casing havin@ a central aperture, a series of lamp-holding devices arranged within said casing in a circle around said aperture, said base being also provided with a central aperture, lamp-engaging contacts carried by said base, binding-screws carried by said base, an insulating ring confined between said base and said easing to provide a continuous insulated conduit from said base to the aperture in said casing, and means for maintaining the opening in said ring in alinement with the apertures of the base and the casino'.

16. In a plural lamp-holding device, the combination with a casing havlng a plurality of lamp-receiving openings, of threaded shells extending through said openings, each of said shells having a bead formed thereon within said easing to prevent said shell being drawn out of said opening.

17. In a lamp-holding device, the combination with a casing having a lamp-receiving opening, a threaded shell in said opening, and an insulating ring surrounding said threaded shell, said ring and shell being expanded within said easing to prevent said parts being withdrawn from said opening.

18. In a lalnp-holding device, the combination with a casing having a lamp-receiving opening, of a threaded shell in said opening, and an insulating ring surrounding said threaded shell, said ring having a bead formed thereon within said casing to prevent said ring being drawn out of said opening, said threaded shell being expanded into said bead.

19. In a plural lamp-holding device, the combination with a supporting cap, Aof a base and casing independently eoperating with said cap, said casing being detachably secured to said cap, said base being alined in said casing by said cap.

20. In a plural lamp-holding device, the combination of a casing, a base within said casing, lamp-engaging contacts carried by said base, lamp-receiving shells carried by said casing and disposed around said base, a supporting cap, and detachable connection between said cap and casing, said cap servin to aline said base in said casing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. Witnesses:

M. S. FARRAR, C. L. HOPKINS. 

